Projectile.



W. A. WILK'INS.

PROJECTILE.

APPLICATION FILED IuIIE I3. 191s.

1,307,607. Patented June 24,1919.

(Z927 Z z3 .as 2f 2/ a /4 Wifi/leases M11/4L,

sTATEsPA-TET oFFicE. i

WILLIE A. WILKINS, F ORANGE, TEXAS.

PROJECTILE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 24, 1.9419.

Application filed June 13, 1918. Serial No. 239,792.

To all whom it may concern.'

vBe it known that I, WILLIE A. WILKiNs,

I a citizen of the United States, residing at Orange, in the county of Orange and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n lro]ectiles, of which V,the following is a Specification.

.This invention relatesv to projectiles, and more particularly to an 'explosive projectile or shell.

One o f the main objects ofthe invention is to provide a shell of the character stated which may be produced at relatively small cost and which is so constructed as to materially increase the effective range thereof.

A further object is to provide a shell having means for imparting an additional forwardingimpulse thereto shortly after the shell has lefttlie muzzle of the gun from which it is fired. Still another object is to provide means whereby this additional forwarding impulse will be applied at what is commonly termed the dead center ofthe shell so as to act to best advantage and materially increase the range of the shell by restoring it to roper balance. Another object is to provi e means for accelerating the rotation of the shell after it leaves the gun so as to secure greater accuracy. Further objects will appear from the detailed description.'

In` the drawings Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through,a sh'ell constructed in accordance with my invention. i

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a;

on line 3--3 of l`modified form.

In constructing the shell I provide an outer casing 1 of ordinary construction provided with the rounded nose portion' 2 and the base 3. 'llhis outer or main casing1 1 1s 'provided with an inner casing 4 disposed 1n concentric spaced relation thereto and communicating at its outer end with a central circular opening 'through the base 3 whichis normally-closed bya closure disk 5 frictionally secured in the base. At its forward end, inner casi-ng 4i's connected to the outer casing 1 by an annular web 6 provided with a plurality of spaced openings 7 f for establlshing commumcationbetween the space 8 `intermediate the two caslngs and the interiomcf nose portion 2 of the shell. The inner casing is also provided, at its forward end, with a substantially fl'usto-conical head Shaving a central forwardly projecting neck 10 the forward end of which is secured to the nose 2 of the shell. The inner casing is thus secured within the outer casing in spaced relation thereto and is braced in proper position.

An exteriorly threaded sleeve 11 is secured in the base portion of the inner casing 4 which is interiorly threaded for this purpose. This sleeve coiperates with head 9 to form a' chamber for an inner container or drum V12. This drum is provided, at the center of its forward end 13 with a forwardly projecting substantially frusto-conical member 14 which projects into a. corres onding recess 15 formed at the central port1on of head 9 and in direct communication with a bore or recess 16 extending from the inner end of neck 10.. This recess receives a plurallt of, 1n this case three, bearing balls 17 w ich are confined between the neck this ad itional force or impulse tending to.

overcome what is lcommonly termed the dead center of a shell when in motion so as to restore proper balance thereof.

The drum 12 is of less exterior diameter than the interior diameter of inner casin 4 and is disposed in concentricspaced re ation thereto. To prevent interference by the drum with the proper rotation `of the shell when it is shot from a gun, I provide anti-friction bearings which permit free rotation of the body of the drum about the drum as the centralelement or core. For this purpose, bearing balls 1'8 are mounted between the rearward end ofthe drum and the inner end of sleeve 11, suitable raceways being formed in the inner end of the sleeve and the adjacent end of the drum for the reception of these balls.` Between the forward end 15 of the drumfand the-head 9 of casing 4, are mounted la plurality of bear channel beneath washer 20.

vwithin drum 12 will be ignited.

ing balls 19. 'These' balls are operative in race-ways formed in head 9 and in a washer 20 which is mounted in an annular channel provided in the outer face of the lforward` end of the drum. A ring or gasket 21 of'-` compressible. material is mounted in the gasket will not be compressed, and the bearing balls 18 and 19 will act to supportdrum 12 in concentric spaced relation within the inner casing 4, while permitting' free rotation lof the body of the shell about this drum.

Drum 12 is provided with a. rearwardly projectinglreduced neck 22 which fits snugly in an annular recess 23 formed in the inner end portion of sleeve 11. The forward end of this neck is normally closed by a perforated-disk 24 which is mounted within druma rearwardly tapering central bore 26, and

has its inner portion cut to provide a plurality of helical threads or riflings 27. A erforated disk 28 is mounted within the ore-26 of sleeve'll in spaced relation to the inner face of closure disk 5 and coperyating therewith to provide a space for the reception of an explosive charge 29.

The main explosive charge designated generally by 30 is contained within nose 2 of the body of the shell and space 8 between the outer main casing 1 and the inner casing 4. This explosive charge may be ignited by 'means of a timer, or time fuse, 31 'which is secured in the forward end of nose 2 of the shell and operates in the well known manner. The explosive charge 32 within drum 12 is ignited by means of va quick burning fuse 33 which is secured in the closure disk 5 ofthe baseand projects. into the drum, this fuse being ignited at the time ofiring the gun from which the. shell is shot.

This shell is intended to be fired from a gun of standard construction the barrel of which is rified in the well known manner. Shortly after the shell leaves the'muzzle of the gun, the explosivel charge 32 contained Practically simultaneously with' the ignition of the explosive charge 32, exp-lesive charge 29 will be 4ignited by means of the heat and flame produced. by igniting the charge 32. The

lattercharge 29 is of a much higher ex- Normally this in imparting a. decided forward impulse to the drum 12, the compressible gasket 21 being compressed S0 as to transmit this iinpulse to the'bo'dy of the shell by lmeans of lgenerated by the explosion of the explosive charges 32 Iand 29. These gases flowing through the rearwardly tapering bore in sleeve 11 under high pressure and at great velocity will impinge upon the riiings 27v so as to impart rot-,ary movement to the body of the shell, thus accelerating the initial rotation imparted bythe riflings of the, gunl from whichthe shell is shot. This acceleration in speed of the shell and in rotation will serve to steady the projectile so as to` insure greater accuracy and will materially increase the range thereof. Also, the drinn '12 acts as a center or core about which the body of the shell rotates, at great speed, this drum exerting a steadying effect upon the projectile so as toprevent any wavering thereof during its passage through the air which also serves to materially increase the accuracy and range of the projectile.

In the form illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the construction of theprojectile 1s the same as that above described with the l exception thatI the central bore 26a of sleeve 11a is of uniform diameter, the riflings 27 being omitted. The operation of this form of projectile is the same'as that illustrated in Figs. l, to 3 inclusive, except that the acceleration in rotation of the projectile due tothe action of the gases generated by thel explosions of the charges 29 and 32 will not f ered the preferred or approved formof invention. It is to be understood, however,

that I may make such chances in construcs tion and arrangement and combination of parts, materials, dimensions, etc., as may prove expedient and fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a projectile, an outer casing adapted to contain a main explosive charge, and an inner drum mounted in said casing and adapted to retain a supplemental explosive charge, said drum being supported in concentric spaced relation to the disk by antifriction means so as to permit free rotation of the casing about'tlie druiii as a center.

2. In a projectile, a main casing, a drinn mounted` within said casing so" as to have limited independent forward motion therein, means for igniting an explosive' charge carried b said drum after the projectile has been fired7 from a drum so as to impart a forward impulse to the drum, and meansfor transmitting the impulse imparted' to thedrum to the body of the projectile at substantially the dead center t ereof.

10 3. In a projectile, a main casing, a drum mounted within said casing in concentric spaced relationthereto and adapted to contain an explosive charge, said drum being mounted for limited independent forward movement, means fortransmitting the forward movement ofV the drum to said main casing, means for igniting an explosive charge within the drum after the projectile has been shot from a gun, and means adapt- ,.20 ed to be acted upon by .the gases generated by the explosion of a charge carried by said gun for imparting rotary motion to the projectile. 4. In a projectile, an outer casing, the drum mounted within said casing in concentric spaced relation thereto, anti-friction bearings'for supporting` said drum and for permitting free rotation of the outer casing about the drum as a center, said drum bein provided with a rearwardly projecting nec and being adapted to contain an explosive charge, the casing being provided at its base portion with a central bore communicating with the neck of thev drum to permit escape plosive charge carried within the drum, a closure disk frictionally secured in the base of said drum and acting to normally close the outer end of said bore, and a fuse' carried by the closure disk and adapted to be ignited by the explosive charge for firing the projectile from a gun, said fuse coinmunicating with the interior of the drum.

5. In a projectile, an' outercasing, the

j 45 drum mounted within said casing in concentric spaced relation thereto, antifriction bearings for supporting said drum and'for permitting free rotation of theouter casing about the drum as a center, said drum being 5'0 provided with a rearwardly projecting neck and being adapted to contain-an explosive charge, the easing'being proyided'at its base portion with a central bore communicating with the neck of the drum to permit escape v of gases generated by the ex losion of an exof gases generated by the explosion of an exbore thereof to impartl rotation to saidcasing.

`neck extending into the bore of said sleeve,

anti friction bearings interposed between the end of the' drum and the inner end o f said sleeve and the forward end of the inner casing and acting to support the drum in concentric spaced relation to the inner casing while permitting. free rotation of said inner and outer easingsabout the drum as a Icenter, a closure disk frietionally secured in the base of the outer casing and acting to normally closevthe outer end of said sleeve, g5 and a fuse communicating with the interior of the drum for igniting an explosive charge carried thereby and adapted to be ignited by an explosive charge for firing the shell from al gull.

7. In a projectile, amain casing, an inner casing carried thereby, a sleeve secured in the rearward end of said inner casing and provided with a central bore, said sleeve being provided on its inner surface with rifi'ings, a drum mounted Within the inner casing andadapted to contain an explosivecharge, .said drum being provided with a rear-wardly projecting neck extending into the bore of said sleeve, anti-friction bearings interposed between the end of the drum and the inner end of saidl sleeve and the forward end of the inner casing and actin g to support the drum in concentric spaced` relation tothe inner casing while permitting free rotation of said inner and outer casings about the drum as a center, a closure .disk frictionally secured in the base of the outer casing and acting to normally close the' outer end of said sleeve, and a `fuse communieating with the interior of the drum for iguiting an explosive charge carried thereby and adapted to-be ignited by an explosive charge for firing the shell .from a gun. v

8 In a projectile,'a main casing, an inner 1'15 casing carried thereby, a sleeve secured in the rearward end of said inner easing and provided with a central yrearwardly taperfing bore, said sleeve Ibeing lprovided on its inner surface with rilings, a drum mounted within the inner casing and adapted tocontain anexplosive charge, said drum being provided -with a rearwardly projecting neck extending into the bore o fsaid sleeve, antifriction bearings interposed between the end of the drum and the inner end of said sleeve and the forward end of the inner casing and acting to support the drum in concentric spaced relation to the inner easing while permitting Afree-.rotation of said inner and outer casings about the drum as a center,aclosure disk frictionally secured in the base of the ing,r being provided at its forward end with v forvardly projecting' head provided With a forwardly projecting neck secured to the nose of the main casing, a sleeve secured -in the rearu-'ard end portion of the inner casing and provided with rifiings on its inner face, a closure disk frictionally secured in the base ot' the main casing and. acting to normally close the outer end of said sleeve, a drum mounted withinthe inner casing in concentric spaced relation thereto, said drum being provided :it the center of its forward end with a forwardly projecting member and at the central portion of'its rearwardA end with a rearwardly projeeting'sleeve extending into `the inner end portion of the sleeve carried Aby the inner casing, ball bearings interposed vbetween the ends of said drum and the inner end of said sleeve and the forward end of the inner casing, a lcompressible gasket being interposed between the forward end of the drum and the .ball bearings therefor so as to permit independent movement of the drurri forwardly of the casing, balls interposed between.r the forwardly projecting member at the center of the forward end of the druml and the neck carried by the head of the inner casing and acting to transmit forward impulse which is yimparted to thedrum to the main casing, a perforated disk mounted in the rearward end of the drum so as to confine an explosive charge therein, a. perforated 'disk mounted in said sleeve in advan'ceof the closure disk in the base of the drum so as to provide a space for receiving' an explosive charge, and a fuse carried by said closure disk and adapted to be ignited when -the projectile is fired from a gun, said fuse ext-ending into the drum so as to ignite an explosive charge carried thereby.

In testimony whereof I afiix my si ,rnature.

IVILLIE A. VVILKINS.v 

